Ban Nai Soi Community Learning Center

General Info

We need volunteers! We are seeking enthusiastic individuals that wish to volunteer their time and effort to make a positive contribution to the students at the Ban Nai Soi CLC.

Volunteer house

Unlike many volunteer positions found on the internet today there is NO COST to volunteer at the BNSCLC. Upon arrival volunteers are given housing and food. Volunteers are responsible for paying for travel to and from the BNSCLC.

In order to teach at the BNSCLC you will need a positive attitude, an open mind, and the patience required to understand and work within a different culture.

While we don't have any specific requirements regarding your qualifications we are hoping to attract qualified teachers of ESL. Even if you don't have any experience teaching we still strongly encourage you to apply. In it's first year the BNSCLC was lucky enough to have several volunteers that had very limited prior teaching experience but still proved to be great instructors.

It would benefit the students much more if we were able to find volunteers that could stay for several months but we ask for at least three months commitment to teaching.

To receive an application or to ask any questions please send an email to bnsclc@gmail.com or Rosie4.bnsclc@gmail.com

Some common questions:

What is the cost of volunteering?

There is no cost. Volunteers must pay for travel to and from the city of Mae Hong Son(MHS) where they will be met by a school representative.

Where is Mae Hong Son?

The city of MHS is the capital of the Mae Hong Son Province in the far Northwest of Thailand. The province shares a border with the country of Burma(Myanmar). Click here for more info.

What is expected of volunteers?

Volunteers are expected to teach a minimum of three hours per day of English. You may be asked to teach more at the BNSCLC. Of course if you are coming from a distant place in an effort to help the less fortunate you might as well make the most of your available time and teach as much as you can.

What else do volunteers do when they aren't teaching?

There is so much and so little to do. It is up to each volunteer. Of course all volunteers spend time each day reviewing lessons and preparing for the next day. Beyond this some volunteers simply relax and read. Ban Nai Soi is located in a stunning stretch of rice growing valleys surrounded by beautiful green mountains. Some volunteers explore the landscape by foot, bike, or motorbike. Volunteers also spend time in MHS meeting and talking to the many NGO and United Nation workers. With almost 20,000 refugees in the MHS Province there are many foreigners doing a lot of special and interesting international work.

What if I've never taught before?

Several of our volunteers had no prior teaching experience. Of course it isn't easy, but if the volunteers are willing to challenge themselves and work hard in preparing lessons they will certainly benefit the students.

What will my living conditions be like?

For the second school year we have constructed a volunteer house. Volunteers now have a private living space with concrete floors, brick walls, and private washing facilities. Meals are provided at the school and the staff will do its best to cook to your tastes.